Heat exchanger

ABSTRACT

A heat exchanger may include a base plate for fastening to a component and a plurality of supply channels running through the base plate. The heat exchanger may also include at least one sealing element, which may be at least one of injection molded and vulcanized directly onto the base plate generating a tight connection to the component.

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger having a base plate for fastening to a component, according to the preamble of the claim 1.

From DE 10 2006 027 725 A1, a generic heat exchanger having a base plate is known via which base plate, the heat exchanger can be connected to a further component, for example an internal combustion engine. Here, between the base plate and the further component, a metal plate having sealing elements which are injection molded thereon is provided so that the entire metal plate is used for sealing between the base plate of the heat exchanger and the further component, for example the internal combustion engine.

From DE 42 42 997 C1, an oil filter for lubricating oil of an internal combustion engine is known which oil filter is likewise connected via a sealing plate to the internal combustion engine or, respectively, is sealed via said sealing plate with respect to the internal combustion.

The present invention is concerned with the problem to provide an improved embodiment for a heat exchanger of the generic type, which embodiment is in particular characterized by a reduction of the variety of parts.

This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are subject matter of the dependent claims.

The present invention is based on the general idea not to use a separate metal plate with sealing elements which are injection molded thereon for sealing a heat exchanger with respect to a further component as it has previously been the case, but to injection mold or vulcanize said sealing elements directly onto a base plate of the heat exchanger and thereby to generate a direct and, at the same time, a tight connection. Thus, with the idea according to the invention, the previously used metal plate which serves only as carrier can be eliminated, whereby the variety of parts and also assembly costs can be reduced. Injection molding and vulcanizing of the at least one sealing element onto the base plate of the heat exchanger is usually carried out at a temperature which lies significantly below soldering temperature so that no damage to a finished structure of the heat exchanger caused by the injection molding or vulcanizing process is to be feared. Thus, with the heat exchanger according to the invention, component costs as well as assembly costs and therefore the manufacturing costs in general can be reduced.

In an advantageous development of the solution according to the invention, groove geometries are provided in the base plate of the heat exchanger, wherein in said groove geometries, the at least one sealing element extends. The groove geometries, for example, can be embossed or milled into the base plate of the heat exchanger and can define the later route of the at least one sealing element. In particular by an undercut-like formation of the groove geometry, the sealing element injection molded into said groove geometries interlocks with said groove geometries and is reliably secured in this manner on the base plate. Manufacturing such groove geometries can be carried out in a simple manner by means of suitable milling tools.

Further important features and advantages of the invention arise from the sub-claims, from the drawings, and from the associated description of the figures based on the drawings.

It is to be understood that the above mentioned features and the features yet to be explained hereinafter can be used not only in the respectively mentioned combination but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the context of the present invention.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in the following description in more detail, wherein identical reference numbers refer to identical, or similar, or functionally identical components.

In the figures, schematically:

FIG. 1 shows a heat exchanger with a sealing element which is injection molded directly onto a base plate,

FIG. 2 shows possible embodiments of the base plate.

According to the FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat exchanger 1 according to the invention has a base plate 2 for fastening to a further, non-shown component, in particular for fastening to an internal combustion engine, wherein supply channels 3 run through the base plate 2. According to the invention, at least one sealing element 4 is injection molded or vulcanized directly onto the base plate 2, whereby a tight connection to the component, i.e. for example to the internal combustion engine, can be established without the need of a separate metal plate provided with sealing elements as it has previously been the case.

The sealing element 4 is made of plastic, in particular an elastomer. For receiving the sealing element 4 in the base plate 2, grooves 5 or groove geometries 5 are provided in which the sealing element 4 extends. The groove geometries can be formed channel-like as shown according to the FIGS. 1 and 2, or can be formed undercut-like, whereby an interlock of the sealing element 4 to be injection molded with the groove geometry 5 can be achieved.

The grooves (groove geometries) 5 can be embossed or milled into the base plate 2 as illustrated for example according to FIG. 1 and according to FIG. 2 on the right. As an alternative to this, the base plate 2 can also be composed of two layers 6 and 7, namely a first layer 6 and a second layer 7 soldered thereto, wherein in this case, the first layer 6 includes the groove geometries 5 in the form of through-openings. The groove geometries 5 of the first layer 6 can be stamped and thus manufactured in a cost-effective and precise manner. Injection molding or vulcanizing the sealing elements 4 into the respective groove geometries 5 is preferably carried out at an injection molding or vulcanization temperature which lies below the soldering temperature for connecting the two layers so that injection molding or vulcanizing the at least one sealing element 4 onto the base plate 2 has no negative influence on the solder connection between the two layers 6 and 7.

In general, the heat exchanger 1 can be connected to a non-shown filter, in particular oil filter, wherein in theory, the base plate 2 can also be integral part of such an oil filter so that the elimination of the previously required metallic plate having the injection-molded sealing elements can also be implemented in other areas such as, for example, the filter area.

According to FIG. 1, the sealing 4 injection molded into the groove geometry 5 is shown in the right illustration, whereas in the left illustration, the still empty groove geometry 5 is shown.

With the heat exchanger 1 according to the invention, the variety of parts can be significantly reduced by eliminating the previously used and required metal plates including the sealing elements injection molded thereon and thereby, the manufacturing costs as well as assembly costs can be reduced. 

1. A heat exchanger comprising: a base plate for fastening to a component, a plurality of supply channels running through the base plate, and at least one sealing element, wherein the at least one sealing element is at least one of injection molded and vulcanized directly onto the base plate generating a tight connection to the component.
 2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element is made of a plastic.
 3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising groove geometries disposed in the base plate, wherein the at least one sealing element extends in the groove geometries.
 4. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the groove geometries are formed in an undercut-like manner.
 5. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the groove geometries are at least one of embossed and milled-in.
 6. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the base plate includes two layers, a first layer of the two layers including the groove geometries in the form of through-openings.
 7. The heat exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the groove geometries of the first layer are stamped, and further wherein the two layers are soldered to each other.
 8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is connected to an oil filter.
 9. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the heat exchanger is connected to an oil filter.
 10. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, further comprising groove geometries disposed in the base plate, wherein the at least one sealing element extends in the groove geometries.
 11. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein the groove geometries are formed in an undercut-like manner.
 12. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein the groove geometries are at least one of embossed and milled-in.
 13. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein the base plate includes two layers, a first layer of the two layers including the groove geometries in the form of through-openings.
 14. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein the groove geometries of the first layer are stamped, and further wherein the two layers are soldered to each other.
 15. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the heat exchanger is connected to an oil filter.
 16. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the heat exchanger is connected to an oil filter.
 17. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the groove geometries are at least one of embossed and milled-in.
 18. heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the base plate includes two layers, a first layer of the two layers including the groove geometries in the form of through-openings.
 19. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein the heat exchanger is connected to an oil filter.
 20. The heat exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the heat exchanger is connected to an oil filter. 